The Impossible's Tom Holland confirmed as new Spider-Man

Tom Holland, star of The Impossible, has been confirmed as the new Spider-Man.

Holland will first be seen as the web slinger in next year's Captain America: Civil War and will star in his first Spider-Man solo movie in the following year, with a July 2017 release date already confirmed, Marvel have announced today.

The 19-year old British actor, who has also had small roles in Wolf Hall, Locke and In The Heart Of The Sea, will be directed in his first Spider-Man solo movie by Jon Watts, the director of Sundance Festival hit Cop Car, which is due for release later this year.

It is thought he saw off competition from Ender's Game star Asa Butterfield and Boardwalk Empire's Charlie Plummer as well as a whole host of other hopefuls to secure the role.

He takes over in the role from Andrew Garfield, who played Spider-Man twice, in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man and 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Garfield took over the role from Tobey Maguire, who held the roles for three films between 2002 and 2007. Both of those actors were in their late 20s when they took the role, but it's strongly rumoured that both studios want someone much younger for the character this time round.